Throughout the four days of the event, Chinese humanoid robots will give speeches on stage and interact with the public at brand stands set up in FIL and MEO Arena.
The tenth edition of the Web Summit (source in Portuguese) in Portugal, which starts today and runs until next Thursday, once again brings together the tech world in Lisbon, but 2026 marks a new era in the history of the event, with a shift towards physical artificial intelligence (AI).
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For the first time, humanoid robots will take on the role of official speakers, showcasing China's cutting-edge ambitions, the country built these machines and is bringing the largest delegation it has ever sent to this technology conference.
Riding on the momentum of Chinese companies, the focus of the talks is no longer only on software that generates text and images, but also on autonomous agents that interact directly with the public.
One of the robots on show, developed by Galbot, has wheels and two arms and is capable of working real shifts in shops, pharmacies and factories.
The robots will make their first appearances at the opening night and, over the four days, as well as giving talks, they will carry out practical demonstrations at brand stands set up at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and at the MEO Arena. The Ministry of Commerce and the Cyberspace Administration of China are also sending delegations.
The Web Summit programme addresses the use of AI agents, scientific research supported by technology, the challenges of digital regulation and the reshaping of work models.
The organisers expect to welcome close to 70,000 participants, including 900 speakers and more than 2,000 startups. The doors open at 16:30, with the first speeches on the main stage starting at 18:00, and the opening session led by the Minister Adjunct and of State Reform, Gonçalo Matias.
Lusophone delegation
Around 300 startups will be present at the venue, 100 of them as part of the Sebrae and ApexBrasil mission. On Tuesday, these institutions will announce up to 20 startups selected for an incubation programme in Lisbon, due to start in March 2027.
This is intended to bring Brazil's tech ecosystem closer to European investors operating in international markets.
Portugal is sending 78 companies to this year's Web Summit, mainly from the AI and health tech sectors.
Web Summit in Lisbon until at least 2028
Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive and co-founder of the Web Summit, has not said whether the event will remain in Portugal beyond 2028, when the 110 million euro contract signed with the Portuguese government and Lisbon City Council expires.
In an interview with the newspaper Expresso last week, Cosgrave said he is in talks with most major European cities, and expressed his intention to make the announcement at the 2027 edition.
The limitations of the Lisbon venue will be a factor to consider. "We have been at the limit of capacity for years and we have built 30,000 square metres of temporary structures", he said.
